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Autism

Streamlining Autism Diagnosis: How Electronic Health Record Tools Increased Early Identification and Referrals in a Primary Care Network
 Streamlining Autism Diagnosis: How Electronic Health Record Tools Increased Early Identification and Referrals in a Primary Care Network 1024 575 Erin Gregory
By: Erin Gregory
Toddler playing with toys

In their recent publication, Boosting Autism Screening and Referrals with EHR-Integrated Tools at Well-Child Visits, Elizabeth W. Barnhardt, DO, MAEd, developmental-behavioral pediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and her team describe a quality improvement initiative designed to improve the early identification of autism spectrum disorder…

A New Path to Relief: Gastrostomy Tubes Offer Treatment for Children With Autism and Chronic Constipation
 A New Path to Relief: Gastrostomy Tubes Offer Treatment for Children With Autism and Chronic Constipation 1024 680 Pam Georgiana
By: Pam Georgiana
Close up color photo of little boy holding hands on his belly

A groundbreaking study reveals how a low-risk intervention dramatically improves quality of life. Children with autism spectrum disorder often struggle with chronic constipation due to behavioral, sensory and dietary challenges. Uncontrolled constipation can cause poor school functioning, eating challenges and sleeping issues. In many cases, due to oral sensory issues, children with autism cannot reliably…

Opportunities to Reduce Stress for Parents of Kids With Autism
 Opportunities to Reduce Stress for Parents of Kids With Autism 1024 683 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Research suggests parenting self-efficacy and family resources influence parental stress levels, offering potential modifiable targets for clinicians aiming to help families thrive.   A study led by pediatric psychology experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital has confirmed that parenting self-efficacy is associated with parental stress levels in families of children with autism, and that parenting self-efficacy…

Frequency of Pediatric Encounters Predicts Timely Transfer to Adult Care for Youth With Autism
 Frequency of Pediatric Encounters Predicts Timely Transfer to Adult Care for Youth With Autism 1024 683 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

For adolescents and young adults with autism, the total number of pediatric appointments is strongly correlated with a timely transfer to adult care, while the reason for this correlation remains to be elucidated.   In a recent study, Laura Hart, MD, a pediatrician at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, and her research team reported a strong correlation…

Evaluating Chronic Constipation and Abnormal Colonic Motility in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
 Evaluating Chronic Constipation and Abnormal Colonic Motility in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder 1024 680 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
Close up color photo of little boy holding hands on his belly

In children with chronic constipation, rates of abnormal colonic motility are similar between children with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). For children with ASD, symptom duration and soiling due to fecal retention are risk factors for abnormal colonic motility.   Treating constipation in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is challenging because of feeding…

Featured Researcher — Eric Nelson, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Eric Nelson, PhD 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Eric Nelson, PhD, is a principal investigator in the Center for Biobehavioral Health in the Abigail Wexner Research Institute (AWRI) at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. His work centers around how the brain develops, particularly during adolescence, as well as how it changes (or doesn’t) during periods of mental health symptoms, crises or therapeutic interventions. He collaborates…

Addressing the Clinical Challenges of Caring for Children with Cystic Fibrosis and Autism Spectrum Disorder
 Addressing the Clinical Challenges of Caring for Children with Cystic Fibrosis and Autism Spectrum Disorder 150 150 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

A recent study sheds light on the unique clinical challenges faced by children with cystic fibrosis and autism spectrum disorder and offers potential solutions to these challenges.   Cystic fibrosis (CF) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) pose significant clinical and emotional burdens to patients and their families. A concurrent CF-ASD diagnosis presents even greater challenges, but…

Adding Telehealth Solutions to the Autism Toolbox: What Really Works?
 Adding Telehealth Solutions to the Autism Toolbox: What Really Works? 1024 535 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
Collage of health technology tools

The COVID-19 pandemic forced autism diagnostics and follow-up care to digital, remote platforms. Now that telehealth is no longer required, what’s worth keeping as a digital service option?   It may be hard to imagine successfully observing a child over video — or even just having responses to prompts relayed over the phone — in…

Supplementation With Omega 3-6 Improves a Marker of Inflammation Among Children Newly Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder
 Supplementation With Omega 3-6 Improves a Marker of Inflammation Among Children Newly Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder 1024 681 Jessica Nye, PhD
By: Jessica Nye, PhD

Fatty acid supplementation may be a treatment route for addressing some underlying causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children.   One potential mechanism affecting autism-related behaviors is inflammation. In general, ASD severity has been associated with inflammatory cytokine levels and externalizing behaviors with interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-1β levels. Supplementation may be a treatment route,…

Factors Modulating Parenting Stress in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
 Factors Modulating Parenting Stress in Families of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD
Parent and child holding hands

Parenting self-efficacy and family resources impact the relationship between behavior problems in children with autism spectrum disorder and parenting stress. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit co-occurring conditions that may increase parenting stress. These include externalizing behaviors, such as tantrums and disruptive behaviors, and internalizing issues, such as anxiety and depression. One factor…

Validity of the WISC-V Intelligence Testing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
 Validity of the WISC-V Intelligence Testing in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder 1024 575 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

Evaluating thinking and reasoning abilities for children with autism using conventional intelligence tests can be done, but with some caution. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fifth Edition (WISC-V) is one of the most widely used intelligence tests for children. However, little is known about the validity of this test in children with autism spectrum…

Understanding the Social Neural Network
 Understanding the Social Neural Network 1024 575 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson
Young boy turned sideways in front of a dark background, with dark lighting and an illustration of his brain appearing in front of the side of his head

Neuroimaging of participants with and without epilepsy allows researchers to explore the neural networks associated with social skills. Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease characterized by neural network dysfunction and seizures. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 470,000 children in the United States had active epilepsy in 2015. These children are more likely…

Fatty Acid Supplements May Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing Even in Toddlers
 Fatty Acid Supplements May Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing Even in Toddlers 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Children who were given supplements of Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that serves as an important building block in babies’ developing brains, were less likely to meet the threshold on a test that determines whether they should be further evaluated for Autism Spectrum Disorder. When children are born prematurely, they miss the opportunity…

Probiotics are Safe and Feasible for Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders
 Probiotics are Safe and Feasible for Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

A pilot trial found a trend toward improvements in quality of life in patients treated with probiotics. Gastrointestinal disorders and anxiety symptoms are commonly reported in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Recent research in rodent models and neurotypical humans has demonstrated that changing the gut microbiota can improve gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Some studies even…

The Autism Treatment Network Reflects on a Decade of Work
 The Autism Treatment Network Reflects on a Decade of Work 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD
By: Mary Bates, PhD

Members point to family involvement as key to the network’s success. The Autism Treatment Network (ATN) started in 2005 as a group of clinical investigators with the goal of improving understanding of the medical aspects of autism spectrum disorders. The network expanded in 2008 to become the Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P).…

Small Trial of Omega Fatty Acid Supplementation in Toddlers Born Preterm Points to Possible Therapeutic Intervention
 Small Trial of Omega Fatty Acid Supplementation in Toddlers Born Preterm Points to Possible Therapeutic Intervention 1024 575 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller
Color close up image of young baby girl looking at hanging toys

Researchers show that supplementation of omega fatty acids may improve symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder in toddlers who were born very preterm. Researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital have shown that omega fatty acid supplements may improve autism spectrum disorder symptoms in toddlers who were born very preterm (<29 weeks gestation). The study was published in The Journal…

Could Nutritional Supplements Impact Autism Symptoms in Toddlers Born Preterm?
 Could Nutritional Supplements Impact Autism Symptoms in Toddlers Born Preterm? 150 150 Rachael Hardison
By: Rachael Hardison

Supplementing with omega-3 and -6 fatty acids impacts language development in preterm toddlers at risk for developing autism. Delay in language development is often an early indicator in children at risk for developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet clinicians are still trying to understand the best practices for how and when to implement early intervention…

Children With Autism and Abdominal Pain Have Distinctive Bacterial Profiles
 Children With Autism and Abdominal Pain Have Distinctive Bacterial Profiles 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
By: Kevin Mayhood

The microbiome may harbor causes of abdominal and behavioral issues and potential targets for relief. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and functional abdominal pain may have a distinct microbiome-neuroimmune profile compared to kids with gastrointestinal disorders (GI) and those with no GI illness. Building on others’ research showing that Clostridia bacteria in the gut are altered…

Should Hormone Therapy be Considered for Inappropriate Sexual Behavior in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder?
 Should Hormone Therapy be Considered for Inappropriate Sexual Behavior in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder? 150 150 Jeb Phillips
By: Jeb Phillips

Families worry when children with autism spectrum disorder display inappropriate sexual behaviors, but specialists say hormonal suppression should not be the first-line approach. Leena Nahata, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, has seen this kind of case in her own practice, so she suspects that other specialists have as well: An adolescent boy with autism…